Oman issues activities list prohibited for foreign investors

Oman issues activities list prohibited for foreign investors

Muscat: The Sultanate has issued a list of activities that foreign investors are prohibited from engaging in.The Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion issued Ministerial Decision No. (209/2020) determining the list of activities which foreign investors are prohibited from engaging in, limiting them to Omani investors in order to protect national products and entrepreneurship projects.According to the decision, an Omani investor can practice investment in all activities and enter into a partnership with a foreign investor, taking into account the enforced agreements in the field of trade and investment.The first article of the ministerial decision specifies the activities that foreign investors are prohibited from engaging in, including manufacturing of Omani Halwa, making of the Omani Khanjar, retail sale of Omani Khanjar, retail sale of handicrafts, designing and tailoring of Omani Kumma, as well as tailoring and sewing of traditional women's gowns, Arab and non-Arab men's and women's clothes, sportswear and military clothes.The list of activities that a foreign investor is prohibited from investing in also includes transporting and sale of drinking water, repairing vehicle electricity connections, charging car batteries, repairing and cleaning car radiators, repairing tires and adjusting wheel scales, vehicle washing and lubrication stations, activities for changing vehicle